Written Answers Thursday 14 June 2007

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will allocate the £10 million that it has earmarked for the new entrants scheme for farmers.

Richard Lochhead: The New Entrants measure will be included within Tier 3 of Rural Development Contracts. Funding will therefore be allocated under the competitive application process that will apply to all Tier 3 measures.

Agriculture

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it proposes to take on the basis of the responses it received to the consultation on the Animal Gatherings (Scotland) Order.

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when a decision will be announced on what action it proposes to take with regard to the Animal Gatherings (Scotland) Order.

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will undertake (a) further consultation with interested parties and (b) a regulatory impact assessment on any follow up proposals to the Animal Gatherings (Scotland) Order.

Richard Lochhead: I will bring forward a revised draft Order taking account of the responses to the consultation earlier this year. The draft Order which will be subject to further consultation will be accompanied by draft guidance and a regulatory impact assessment.

  The greatest issue raised in the November 2006 consultation concerned the holding of agricultural shows and the land used for these shows to lie vacant for a period of 27 days both before and after the event. Whilst the veterinary rationale for this proposal is soundly based, I acknowledge that any new arrangements must be both practical and flexible enough to accommodate the needs of these rural events. Accordingly, this proposal is to be revised to allow farmers who let their land for such events the option, after the show, of either observing this clear period or, alternatively, of restocking the land immediately after the show subject to the returned livestock complying with a 13 movement day standstill. This proposal has already been conveyed to the industry.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what importance it places on providing support services for dementia sufferers.

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review dementia support services.

Shona Robison: Dementia is a national priority and we place great importance on support services for dementia sufferers.

  Following publication of the Mental Welfare Commission Report Older and Wiser - Findings from our unannounced visits to NHS continuing care ward (Bib. number 42946). I have asked the NHS boards to provide action plans that set out how they will ensure that all services meet the standards of the best service as identified in that report. Dementia is a national priority and we place great importance on support services for dementia sufferers.

  We also have two timetabled commitments directed at further improving services for those with dementia and their carers. These include a pilot programme on how best to improve dementia services (2008) and the development of standards for an Integrated Care Pathway for dementia (end 2007). Additional general mental health timetabled initiatives including work on reducing readmissions, improving physical health; better crisis responses and improving the physical health of those with mental illness will also have a positive impact.

  In addition, we provide financial support for a range of voluntary sector dementia services, including the Dementia Services Development Centre and Alzheimer Scotland.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to improve advocacy services for dementia patients living in nursing homes.

Shona Robison: The Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 places a duty on health boards and local authorities to secure the provision of appropriate independent advocacy services for all people with mental disorders, including those with dementia. Through the implementation review process the Scottish Government is actively monitoring the provision of advocacy services for all client groups. We also fund the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance, which promotes and supports advocacy services throughout Scotland.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the decision taken by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to remove donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine from the approved prescription list for the treatment of early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has no plans to review this decision. NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (QIS) is the body which reviews decisions by National Institute and Clinical Excellence (NICE) with regard to their applicability in Scotland. In this case, NHS QIS endorsed the position stated by NICE that these drugs are recommended for the treatment of moderate dementia in Alzheimer’s disease.

Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the effectiveness of the implementation of the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004.

Fergus Ewing: We plan to take a fresh look at our antisocial behaviour strategy to see where it can be strengthened and improved, and how we can ensure greater community involvement. We will feed the results of on-going evaluations of antisocial behaviour orders and dispersal powers into that wider review.

Audiology

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cochlear implant operations have been performed on (a) children and (b) adults in each NHS board area in each year since 2002-03.

Shona Robison: The following tables contain information on patients who have had either an implantation of an intracochlear prosthesis or an extracochlear prosthesis.

  Intracochlear Prosthesis – Children

  Year Ending 31 March

  

Health Board of Residence
2003
2004
2005
2006


Ayrshire and Arran
-
1
2
1


Borders
-
-
1
-


Dumfries and Galloway
-
2
-
-


Fife
1
2
1
2


Forth Valley
-
-
2
2


Grampian
-
-
-
4


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
10
6
5
7


Highland
2
2
1
3


Lanarkshire
1
2
2
2


Lothian
2
1
4
2


Tayside
1
2
3
1


Western Isles
1
-
-
-


Total
18
18
21
24



  Intracochlear Prosthesis – Adults

  Year Ending 31 March

  

Health Board of Residence
2003
2004
2005
2006


Ayrshire and Arran
1
3
3
3


Borders
-
-
1
-


Dumfries and Galloway
-
-
3
-


Fife
1
1
3
-


Forth Valley
-
-
3
-


Grampian
4
1
3
1


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
9
11
7
7


Highland
2
3
-
3


Lanarkshire
2
-
1
3


Lothian
3
4
1
1


Shetland Islands
-
-
-
1


Tayside
1
1
-
2


Total
23
24
25
21



  Extracochlear Prosthesis – Children

  Year Ending 31 March

  

Health Board of Residence
2003
2004
2005
2006


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
-
-
1
-


Total
-
-
1
-



  Extracochlear Prosthesis – Adults

  Year Ending 31 March

  

Health Board of Residence
2003
2004
2005
2006


Fife
-
1
-
-


Forth Valley
-
-
1
-


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
11
8
9
9


Highland
2
1
-
-


Lanarkshire
1
1
3
4


Lothian
-
1
-
-


Total
14
12
13
13



  Source: SMR01.

  Notes:

  1. Information is derived from discharge summaries held in the SMR01 database, which relates to non-obstetric, non-psychiatric specialties in general acute hospitals in Scotland.

  2. As a result of data submission processes, there could be minor changes to these figures as time progresses.

  3. SMR01 is episode-based. Each episode is initiated by an admission and ended by a discharge. A patient with more than one episode of care in any year will be counted each time he/she receives and episode of care.

  4. Cochlear Implant is defined using OPCS4.3 code D24.1 – Implantation of intracochlear prosthesis and D24.2 – Implantation of extracochlear prosthesis.

  5. In each discharge summary, SMR01 data records up to four pairs of operation codes. This extract is based on the presence of the relevant codes in any operation pair.

  6. "Children" are defined as less than 15 years of age.

Care Commission

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the self-funding of the Care Commission.

Shona Robison: The work of the Care Commission is being considered as part of the independent review of scrutiny of public services being undertaken by Professor Lorne Crerar on behalf of the Scottish Government. It will be important to consider the findings of the review, which is expected to report in late summer, before taking any decisions on the basis of funding of the Care Commission. Any decisions on the future funding of the commission will be considered in the context of the forthcoming spending review.

Communities

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to take forward the Strategic Group on Women’s recommendations that were accepted by the Executive in 2004 and updated in 2006.

Stewart Maxwell: We are taking forward the recommendations of the Strategic Group on Women’s report as indicated in the progress report of March 2006. Furthermore, the strategic group’s recommendations - together with other available evidence and stakeholders’ views (including the views of former members of the Strategic Group) - have informed the development of the Government’s Gender Equality Scheme, which was published in March 2007.

  High-level gender equality objectives to improve the lives of women (and men) in Scotland are detailed in chapter 4 of the scheme, which is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 42934). We will report annually on the scheme and review it every three years.

Community Care

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to provide statutory funding for guide communicators.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has no plans for statutory provision of guide communicators. The provision of appropriate support for all people receiving care services, including guiding and communication support, is a matter for local authorities.

Community Care

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in its work with a range of partners, including the voluntary sector, on initiatives to improve access to care services for deafblind people.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government continues to work closely with our partners including Deafblind Scotland, the Royal National Institute for the Deaf, the Royal National Institute for the Blind and a number of other voluntary organisations to implement the recommendations of the Sensory Impairment Action Plan to improve access to care services for all people with a sensory impairment in Scotland. As part of that work, guidance was issued in April 2007 to local authorities and their partners, with specific reference to identifying and meeting the needs of people who are deafblind. Local authorities have been asked to provide information about identification, assessment and service provision by 1 September 2007.

Community Planning

David Whitton (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make an announcement about future funding proposals for community planning partnerships.

John Swinney: The government believes community planning partnerships have a significant role to play in joining up the design and delivery of services at local level.

  Future funding decisions will be considered as part of the forthcoming strategic spending review.

Community Planning

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-79 by John Swinney on 5 June 2007, what the clear, strategic outcomes at national level will be and what the Executive’s national policy outcomes are.

John Swinney: The government has a single set of strategic, national policy outcomes for Scotland. I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-78 on 5 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Council Tax

David Whitton (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact a council tax freeze will have on the finances of Scottish local authorities, in particular East Dunbartonshire Council.

John Swinney: We are committed to freezing council tax levels at 2007-08 levels and will be working closely with local government to achieve this. The financial impact of the freeze on local authorities will be considered as part of the work we will undertake.

Crofting

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the first 5,000 euros of single farm payments are still exempt from modulation.

Richard Lochhead: The first €5,000 of Single Farm Payment are exempt from compulsory modulation, but they have never been exempt from voluntary modulation and this remains the case.

Diabetes

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has of the number of people with (a) type 1 and (b) type 2 diabetes, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: NHS Board
Type 1
Type 2


Argyll and Clyde
2,251
13,212


Ayrshire and Arran
2,251
12,470


Borders
565
3,825


Dumfries and Galloway
916
5,380


Fife
1,782
12,563


Forth Valley
1,460
10,114


Grampian
2,648
14,735


Greater Glasgow
4,011
29,458


Highland
1,136
6,703


Lanarkshire
3,396
18,817


Lothian
3,913
23,633


Orkney
129
679


Shetland
102
713


Tayside
1,570
13,792


Western Isles
164
832


Scotland
26,294
166,926



  The table shows provisional data taken from the Scottish Diabetes Survey 2006. From next year, data for the Scottish Diabetes Survey will be presented in line with the current NHS board structure.

Diabetes

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has of the number of undiagnosed people with diabetes, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: Figures for estimated numbers of people with undiagnosed diabetes are published on the Scottish Public Health Observatory website. The estimated number of people with undiagnosed diabetes, by NHS board, is given in the following table.

  

NHS Board
Undiagnosed Persons


Argyll and Clyde*
8,343


Ayrshire and Arran
4,274


Borders
1,618


Dumfries and Galloway
2,191


Fife
2,742


Forth Valley
1,985


Grampian
7,722


Greater Glasgow
5,712


Highland
5,007


Lanarkshire
3,999


Lothian
7,760


Orkney
237


Shetland
234


Tayside
4,745


Western Isles
481


Scotland
60,629



  Note: *Argyll and Clyde data are for 2004, as figures for 2005 were low because of IT problems.

Diabetes

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in the last year to improve patient access to insulin pumps and whether up-to-date figures are available on the numbers of patients using such pumps.

Shona Robison: NHS boards are expected to implement the NICE guidance on the use of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (NICE Technology Appraisal Guidance No.57). The Diabetes Action Plan (June 2006) included a commitment to publish figures on the extent of insulin pump usage in Scotland and placed a requirement on each NHS Board’s Diabetes Managed Clinical Networks to produce an "insulin strategy" for their area.

  The following table, which has been compiled from information supplied by the Diabetes Managed Clinical Networks, sets out the number of people with diabetes using an insulin pump in February 2007 in each NHS board area. An earlier survey undertaken in June 2006 reported a total of 160 people in Scotland using a pump.

  

NHS Board
No. of People with Diabetes using an Insulin Pump


Ayrshire and Arran
2


Borders
5


Dumfries and Galloway
3


Fife
22


Forth Valley
10


Grampian
19


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
24


Highland
6


Lanarkshire
7


Lothian
58


Orkney
0


Shetland
0


Tayside
42


Western Isles
1


Scotland
199

Drug and Alcohol Misuse

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were arrested for drug and drink driving offences in the Highlands last summer.

Kenny MacAskill: Information on the number of arrests made by the police is not held centrally, only the number of crimes recorded. There were 683 crimes involving drug and/or drink driving in the Highlands recorded by the police in 2005-06.

Education

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the role of nursery school provision, in both the public and private sectors, in relation to providing educational services for pre-school children and early years formal education.

Fiona Hyslop: Early education is central to the plans of the Scottish Executive for improving services for children and families. We are finalising initial plans and will shortly be making announcements about our plans in specific areas.

Energy

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures would have to be followed by a company wishing to open a new deep coal mine in Scotland.

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what public consultation would require to be undertaken by a company wishing to open a deep coal mine in Scotland.

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role the Scottish ministers would have in determining an application for a new deep coal mine in Scotland.

Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-288 on 13 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Epilepsy

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that the 40,000 Scots with epilepsy have access to the medical treatment that they require.

Shona Robison: The SIGN Guidelines on the diagnosis and management of epilepsy in adults (Guideline 70) and in children and young people (Guideline 81) set out the best evidence relating to the management of epilepsy. NHS boards are expected to implement these Guidelines through local protocols.

  Epilepsy is one of the conditions covered in the Quality & Outcomes Framework of the new GMS contract, and this incentivises general practices to maintain a register of people with epilepsy and to review their management on a regular basis.

  In conjunction with Epilepsy Scotland, we have encouraged the development of epilepsy Managed Clinical Networks as a way of promoting the integration of services across primary, secondary and tertiary care. The Networks use the SIGN Guidelines as their evidence base, and also give a strong voice in the development of services to those with epilepsy and their families and carers.

  NHS Quality Improvement Scotland has been undertaking preliminary work on the provision of neurological services in Scotland which will lead to the development of standards for services for all neurological conditions, including epilepsy.

Epilepsy

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts are being made to ensure that people with epilepsy receive the education and information regarding their condition that they require.

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts are being made to ensure that the family and carers of Scots with epilepsy receive the necessary information and education that they require in respect of the condition.

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to tackle any discrimination and stigma associated with epilepsy.

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what work it is doing with teachers and pupils in schools to raise awareness of epilepsy.

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to raise awareness among employers about the provision of support for employees with epilepsy.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government understands the importance of providing the best possible information to people with epilepsy, especially at the time of diagnosis. Improved access to better information and education on epilepsy helps to achieve our aim of making people, together with their families and carers, equal partners in their own care, especially by promoting self-care. Such information can also be used to help to promote understanding and tolerance and combat the prejudice that people with epilepsy can experience.

  We have provided funding to enable Epilepsy Scotland to develop and publish a wide range of literature to inform and educate people with epilepsy and help them manage their condition more effectively. Most recently, Epilepsy Scotland used part of this funding to develop a series of accessible leaflets written for people with learning difficulties, or for people for whom English is not their first language.

  A Guide for Teachers on How to Manage Epilepsy and a Parents guide to epilepsy were distributed to all Scottish schools to raise awareness of the condition in October 2006. These leaflets are also available on Epilepsy Scotland’s website.

  The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 places duties on education authorities to identify, meet and keep under review the additional support needs of children for whose school education they are responsible and introduces new rights for parents and young people.

  The Scottish Government has also provided Epilepsy Scotland with funding to develop a new information leaflet for employers which aims to give them a better understanding of epilepsy in the workplace and outlines their legal responsibilities in terms of supporting employees with epilepsy.

Equal Opportunities

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that its equal pay statement will be published no later than 28 September 2007.

John Swinney: Steps will be taken to make the statement available shortly.

Equal Opportunities

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which bodies are being consulted on the formulation of the statement of priorities for the advancement of equal opportunities between men and women.

Shona Robison: The Sex Discrimination (Public Authorities) (Statutory Duties) (Scotland) Order 2007 places a specific duty on Scottish ministers to set out priority areas for the advancement of gender equality by public authorities in Scotland. In order to meet this duty, the Scottish Government is considering the process for formulating these priority areas. This process will include consulting all relevant stakeholders including the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, individual public authorities, voluntary sector, trade unions and organisations for women and men. We will also work with the Equal Opportunities Commission and, from October 2007 the Commission for Equality and Human Rights, in consulting on and subsequently setting out Scottish ministers’ priority areas for gender equality.

Fisheries

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy and objectives are in respect of the annual EU/Norway fishing negotiations which take place in advance of the EU Fisheries Council in December.

Richard Lochhead: The EU/Norway negotiations are of critical importance to the Scottish fishing industry. I shall be developing Scotland’s objectives for these negotiations in full consultation with the industry over the next few months.

General Practitioners

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to improve doctors’ out-of-hours services in the Scottish Borders.

Shona Robison: NHS Borders is responsible for providing out-of-hours primary care services in its locality. Out-of-hours services must meet the standards and criteria laid down by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (QIS). These require the new out-of-hours arrangements to be accessible, available and acceptable to patients or their representatives. NHS QIS works closely with NHS boards to ensure that services are delivered against these standards.

  The Scottish Government is supporting an out-of-hours strategy group that is reviewing best practice and developing models that will continue to sustain safe and responsive patient services.

Health

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure the provision of funding to secure the continuation of the Emergency Medical Retrieval Service.

Nicola Sturgeon: We recognise the importance of the Emergency Medical Retrieval Service to remote and rural communities and will set out our proposals to sustain the service shortly.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider the recommendation by the Bioindustry Association that a task force should be established to examine options for a more strategic approach to health and to enable the Scottish life sciences sector to effectively address medical need by developing new medicines and devices.

Shona Robison: A range of appropriate fora already exist to discuss Life Science interests including the Life Science Alliance, the Scottish Health Technologies Group and the Scottish Medicines Consortium. The establishment of the Life Sciences Alliance brought together key stakeholders from academia, industry, NHSScotland, finance and charitable organisations to help influence the alignment of science, education, transport and enterprise policies insofar as they relate to the life sciences in Scotland. The remit of the Scottish Health Technologies Group is to advise on any further studies required to help plan the implementation of specific technologies in the NHSScotland and the Scottish Medicines Consortium gives recommendations on all new drugs as soon as practical after their launch.

Housing

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing has held with Communities Scotland to discuss her proposals for housing.

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing plans to hold with Communities Scotland to discuss her proposals for housing.

Nicola Sturgeon: Along with the Minister for Communities and Sport I have had a number of meetings with officials in Communities Scotland to discuss aspects of housing policy and its delivery. Those discussions are on-going.

Housing

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing will meet Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) to discuss the future of housing in Glasgow.

Nicola Sturgeon: Stewart Maxwell and I are currently making arrangements to hold meetings in the very near future with both GHA and other stakeholders interested in the future of housing in Glasgow.

Housing

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to implement a £2,000 grant to first-time house buyers.

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it will cost to implement a £2,000 grant to first-time house buyers.

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the implementation a £2,000 grant to first-time house buyers will be funded from new money.

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the implementation of a £2,000 grant to first time house buyers will be funded from the existing housing budget and, if so, which areas of the budget will be affected.

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a grant of £2,000 to first-time house buyers will be implemented on a means-tested basis.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government is currently considering how best to support those who aspire to home ownership, including the costs of different measures. Decisions on the future funding of subsidised low-cost home ownership will be taken following the outcome of the spending review later this year.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether particular procedures are in place in respect of foreign workers who require enhanced disclosure certificates and, if so, what these procedures are.

Kenny MacAskill: Disclosure Scotland, who carry out criminal record checks on behalf of Scottish ministers, do not have access to information about the criminal records of foreign workers before they enter the United Kingdom. It is the responsibility of the person concerned to provide information from her or his home country if that is sought by an employer.

  We are working with colleagues elsewhere in the UK to give effect to a number of EU initiatives that should improve the sharing of information for employment purposes.

Less Favoured Areas

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has been given to the designation of islands as particularly fragile under the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme.

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the (a) UK Government and (b) European Commission on designating islands as particularly fragile under the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme.

Richard Lochhead: All Scottish Islands are classified as "very fragile" under the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme, recognising the higher transport costs and degree of natural handicap.

Less Favoured Areas

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the designation of islands as particularly fragile under the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme.

Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to 3W-629 on 14 June 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Less Favoured Areas

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the (a) UK Government and (b) European Commission about the future of the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme.

Richard Lochhead: Scottish Executive officials are participating in discussions between UK Government and European Commission officials about future designation of Less Favoured Areas within the European Union. In addition, the Scottish Executive has been discussing the interim Scheme for the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme (LFASS) 2007-2009 with the European Commission in the wider context of the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) for 2007-2013.

Livestock

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is possible to operate a livestock improvement scheme for crofters that does not breach state aid rules.

Michael Russell: From 1 January 2008 it will no longer be possible to operate a livestock improvement scheme for crofters which complies with the State Aid guidelines. However, it may be possible to take advantage of the de minimis provisions for aids to agriculture to enable support to continue and I am actively pursuing that issue. Expenditure which is de minimis does not need to comply with the guidelines.

  The present de minimis limit would require that the cumulative total amount of unapproved aid per agricultural enterprise should not exceed 3,000 Euros (around £2,000) in a three year period. The European Commission proposes to double that limit to 6,000 Euros in a three year period from 1 January 2008.

Livestock

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to announce a long-term commitment to a livestock improvement scheme for crofters.

Michael Russell: Options for the future of livestock support are under consideration in the light of new state aid guidelines. The Executive will aim to make an announcement this summer, so as to allow crofters to make their plans for 2008 in good time.

Maternity Services

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that maternity services that do not currently meet the NHS Quality Improvement Scotland standards in respect of routine second ultrasound scans are able to do so in the near future.

Shona Robison: We are working closely with NHSScotland to ensure that developments in screening during pregnancy, including the introduction of routine foetal anomaly scanning in those boards which do not currently offer this service, are introduced efficiently and effectively and as soon as possible.

Maternity Services

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to address shortages in intensive care baby units, given that admissions to units rose by 402 infants between 2005 and 2006 with almost no increase in the number of cots.

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action will be taken to address any understaffing of neonatal units, following the findings of the review by BLISS.

Shona Robison: A neonatal sub-group of the Ministerial Action Group on Maternity Services has been established to review current neonatal service provision in Scotland and recommend a framework for a sustainable configuration of neonatal services that provides a safe and effective clinical service for babies in Scotland. The report of the group will be available in the autumn.

Ministerial Meetings

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing has held any meetings with COSLA and, if so, what issues were discussed.

Nicola Sturgeon: I have not yet held any meetings with COSLA, but I hope to do so soon.

Ministerial Meetings

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing will meet COSLA and, if so, what issues will be discussed.

Nicola Sturgeon: COSLA and all local authorities are key partners in delivering health and social care services to the people of Scotland. I look forward to meeting the new leaders of COSLA once they have been appointed. I would hope to discuss with them a wide range of issues concerning social care and health, and in particular my wish for the Scottish Government to work in close partnership with COSLA in developing policies for the benefit of service users and their carers.

  In the meantime the Minister for Public Health is pleased to be meeting the President and Chief Executive of COSLA on 19 June 2007 to discuss a range of social care and health issues.

NHS Boards

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the consultation on the independent scrutiny of NHS board proposals will commence and when it anticipates making an announcement to the Parliament on the outcome.

Nicola Sturgeon: I am currently considering the form that independent scrutiny should take and will make an announcement soon.

NHS Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all current proposals for service change, particularly those proposals relating to the Vale of Leven Hospital, will be set aside until such time as the arrangements for independent scrutiny are concluded.

Nicola Sturgeon: I have been clear that all future proposals for significant service change will be subject to rigorous independent scrutiny before public consultation can take place. This will include any proposals for change to current service delivery at the Vale of Leven Hospital. This will ensure that the information being presented by health boards is factual and evidence based, and that the choice presented to the public is a fair and genuine one.

NHS Services

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-154 by Shona Robison on 6 June 2007, whether patients can access free treatment, paid for by the NHS and provided by an independent homeopathy practitioner, where patients and their clinicians consider that homeopathy is an appropriate form of treatment but is not provided as an NHS service.

Shona Robison: NHS boards are responsible for the planning and provision of NHS services. Where services are provided as part of NHS provision they will be provided free at the point of delivery.

NHS Staff

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to increase the number of dedicated dementia nurses in hospitals.

Shona Robison: We have established new workforce planning arrangements in Scotland to help match the supply of staff to the workforce demand from NHS boards. Board plans published in April 2007 provide staffing projections for all staff groups to deliver their planned patient services including dementia services.

NHS Staff

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost to each NHS board has been of employing agency nurses, in each year since 1999.

Nicola Sturgeon: Information on staff employed in NHS Scotland is published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics, at www.isdscotland.org/workforce . The full dataset on the use of agency staff within health boards can be found within table E13 of section E of that website. The following table provides extracted data from 2001 onwards. Data from previous years is not held centrally.

  Cost of Employing Agency Nurses by Health Board and by Year, from 2001

  

£
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005


Total spend across Scotland
1,9028,372*
24,530,733*
28,138,989
29,709,181
26,408,949


Registered 
9,225,188
16,425,652
21,396,157
24,144,464
23,033,644


NHS Argyll and Clyde 
299,959
1,401,182
1,809,202
2,118,474
1,717,162


NHS Ayrshire and Arran 
358,453
384,133
1,068,629
826,106
564,537


NHS Borders 
83,368
155,613
365,784
505,998
436,080


NHS Dumfries and Galloway 
-
371
 
19,252
85,784


NHS Fife 
1,053,229
1,190,232
1,093,224
1,287,788
1,686,501


NHS Forth Valley 
319,151
485,935
533,888
504,446
1,215,548


NHS Grampian 
572,040
730,894
1,328,097
1,342,694
959,507


NHS Greater Glasgow 
1,772,325
4,742,365
5,991,625
6,233,189
4,725,231


NHS Highland 
153,224
45,663
48,752
20,767
169,019


NHS Lanarkshire 
84,103
1,200,591
1,006,278
1,079,900
227,000


NHS Lothian 
4,504,393
3,611,340
6,452,879
9,363,855
10,204,173


NHS Orkney 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 


NHS Shetland 
8,927
 36,159
2,214
0
29,277


NHS Tayside
16,015
2,401,805
1,350,881
643,360
755,589


NHS Western Isles 
- 
 
- 
- 
105,965


National Services Scotland 
 39,369
1,620
13,074
62,594


Golden Jubilee National Hospital
 
343,084
185,562
89,679


Non registered 4
4,807,132
6,607,618
6,742,833
5,564,717
3,375,305


NHS Argyll and Clyde 
873,218
1,163,356
1,193,259
719,515
682,658


NHS Ayrshire and Arran 
29,666
1,484
14,627
1,516
4,109


NHS Borders 
13,550
23,361
42,014
10,709
238,913


NHS Dumfries and Galloway 
127
-
-
-
-


NHS Fife 
336,123
448,660
542,752
343,337
457,916


NHS Forth Valley 
253,931
390,088
224,335
225,105
309,031


NHS Grampian 
468,125
628,802
726,567
368,547
57,848


NHS Greater Glasgow 
857,558
1,860,740
1,355,210
1,700,887
1,444,945


NHS Highland 
147,956
192,971
323,767
281,955
166,244


NHS Lanarkshire 
233,634
406,553
153,054
251,223
-


NHS Lothian 
1,585,379
1,491,603
2,144,732
1,619,110
-


NHS Orkney 
-
-
-
-
-


NHS Shetland 
-
-
-
-
-


NHS Tayside
7,865
-
-
33,993
7,320


NHS Western Isles 
-
-
-
-
-


National Services Scotland 
- 
- 
- 
- 


Golden Jubilee National Hospital
- 
- 
22,516
8,820
6,321



  Note: *The overall spend figure is higher than the sum of the total because some nurses were not categorised as being either registered or non-registered.

Older People

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce legislation to establish a commissioner for older people.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government does not have plans in place to legislate to establish a commissioner for older people. However, as set out in All Our Futures; Planning for a Scotland with an Ageing Population we will establish a broadly based National Forum on Ageing. The forum will act as a champion for older people by progressing an agreed vision including;

  Age is not used to define or make assumptions about the role, value or potential of an individual

  Older people have access to public services which are people-centred, accessible and joined up, and can access quality services appropriate to their needs, when and where they are required.

  The Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR) will be established in October 2007, bringing together the six equality strands, including age, into a single equality body.

Organ Transplants

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are currently waiting for organ transplants in the Lothians region; what the three most common organ requirements are in the region, and what the average waiting time is for a transplant.

Shona Robison: At 10 June 2007, there were 135 people in the NHS Lothian area registered with UK Transplant as waiting for an organ. The figure includes 25 people who are currently suspended from the list, which means that they have been removed from the list temporarily, for a reason such as having become too ill to undergo the operation, or being away on holiday.

  The most common organ requirements are kidney, liver and lungs.

  For the 296 Lothian patients registered on the waiting list between 2000 and 2003, the median waiting time for kidney transplant was 1,472 days, compared to a median waiting time of 836 days for the whole of the UK for the same time period.

  The Lothian figures for other organs are too small to allow for the calculation of meaningful averages. For the UK as a whole, the waiting times for adult first transplants, based on registrations between 2000 and 2004, are as follows:

  Heart: 103 days;

  Lung: 406 days;

  Liver: 95 days;

  Kidney/pancreas: 265 days.

Organ Transplants

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many organ transplants took place in the Lothians region in the last year.

Shona Robison: In financial year 2005-06, 35 organ transplants were undertaken at the transplant unit, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. The figure for 2006-07 was 27.

Organ Transplants

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much investment is being made in retaining and improving organ transplant services across the Lothians region.

Shona Robison: Organ transplantation services are commissioned either regionally or nationally. The transplant unit at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (RIE) undertakes liver, pancreas and simultaneous kidney/pancreas transplantation on a national basis, and kidney transplantation on a regional basis. The unit also participates in the work of the Scottish Organ Retrieval Team. The total running costs of these services in 2006-07 were around £6.9 million. It is not possible to calculate the proportion of these costs which relate to NHS Lothian residents.

  NHS Lothian residents are also able to benefit from the other transplantation services commissioned nationally and undertaken in units other than that at RIE, but again it is not possible to calculate the proportion of these costs which relate to NHS Lothian residents.

Organ Transplants

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that people across the Lothians are aware of the need for organ transplant donors and what financial commitment is being made to improve transplant services and raise awareness of the issue across the region.

Shona Robison: Section 1 of the Human Tissue (Scotland) Act 2006 places a duty on the Scottish ministers to promote, support and develop programmes of transplantation. It also places a duty on us to promote information and awareness about the donation for transplantation of parts of a human body.

  For many years, the Scottish Government has funded advertising campaigns aimed at raising awareness of the need to increase organ donation numbers. The main focus of these campaigns has been to encourage people to add their name to the NHS Organ Donor Register. The 2006 act recognises these registrations as forms of authorisation, and is designed to ensure that these wishes are respected after death.

  As a significant contribution to discharging our duties under the 2006 Act, we intend to make sure that full advantage is taken, in terms of raising awareness of organ donation and encouraging people to sign up to the register, of the launch in Edinburgh next month of Transplant Awareness Week, and the holding of the British Transplant Games in the city from 26 to 29 July. A budget of £60,000 has been allocated to the Scottish Government’s advertising and PR activities associated with the games.

  The Scottish Government has funded a teaching resource pack aimed at raising awareness amongst senior school pupils of the issues associated with organ donation and transplantation. The pack, which we expect to be in use in schools across Lothian as well as the rest of Scotland, has the potential over time to produce a population with a heightened awareness of the benefits of transplantation.

People with Dementia

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it intends to have with NHS boards and local authorities about improving support services for dementia sufferers and their carers.

Shona Robison: Following publication of the Mental Welfare Commission Report Older and Wiser - Findings from our unannounced visits to NHS continuing care ward (Bib. number 42946), I have asked the NHS boards to provide action plans that set out how they will ensure that all services meet the standards of the best service as identified in that report. Dementia is a national priority and we place great importance on support services for dementia sufferers.

  We also have two timetabled commitments directed at further improving services for those with dementia and their carers. These include a pilot programme on how best to improve dementia services (2008) and the development of standards for an Integrated Care Pathway for dementia (end 2007). Additional general mental health timetabled initiatives including work on reducing readmissions, improving physical health; better crisis responses and improving the physical health of those with mental illness will also have a positive impact.

  These commitments are monitored and discussed with NHS boards and their partners through the Implementation Review process and visiting programme.

  We are also developing an Outcomes Framework for Community Care that will provide another monitor on joined up care for vulnerable people (including those with dementia). It includes four national outcomes, 16 performance measures and, for the present, five targets that will drive joint performance. It will start in 2007-08 and be fully implemented in 2008-09. It covers areas such as user satisfaction, waiting times for assessments and service delivery, quality of assessments and reviews, emergency admissions, carers’ well-being, etc.

  Work on benchmarking (identifying national common service definitions and measurable outcomes in health and social care) is also well underway. This work will provide outcomes allowing the benchmarking and comparison of services across Scotland, including those for people with dementia.

People with Dementia

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Care Commission about improving support services for dementia patients in (a) nursing homes and (b) hospitals.

Shona Robison: I am meeting the Care Commission’s Convener and Chief Executive on 2 July 2007 when a wide range of strategic issues will be discussed.

  The current regulatory framework, including the National Care Standards, requires care homes and independent hospitals to provide care and support that meets the assessed needs of individual service users, including of course people with dementia.

People with Dementia

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that NHS boards have a strategy in place for dementia patients who are admitted to hospital for treatment of an unrelated condition.

Shona Robison: NHS Quality Improvement Scotland are currently developing standards for an Integrated Care Pathway for dementia, which includes an accreditation process to ensure this is delivered. A draft is currently out for consultation to June 2007 and the standards and accreditation process will be finalised later this year.

  These standards are for all agencies and interests and will ensure patients receive comprehensive, quality care throughout the patient journey.

People with Dementia

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to providing specialist training in dementia-related issues for care home staff.

Shona Robison: The Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 and its associated regulations require a care home provider to ensure that at all times suitably qualified and competent persons are working in the care home to meet the individual needs of care home residents.

  Staff registering with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) are required to meet specific criteria, one being having an appropriate qualification for the job they are employed to carry out. The level of, and range of, acceptable qualifications is set by the SSSC. Registration of staff working in adult care home services commenced in January 2006 with managers of the service and further groups from October 2007.

  The on-going pilot project (dementia Services Development Centre/Forth Valley) looking at ways to improve local services and match care better to local needs, will also be given consideration to this issue.

Pharmacies

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether access to emergency hormonal contraception is provided by all community pharmacies and, if not, what plans are in place to ensure equitable access.

Shona Robison: Access to emergency hormonal contraception (EHC) in community pharmacies is through one of three routes: as a prescription-only medicine prescribed for a patient by a suitably qualified prescriber; purchased by a patient as a pharmacy medicine; or through a patient group direction under a health board scheme. All three routes are available depending on local agreements and the pharmacist’s moral and ethical stance.

  Pharmacists who choose not to supply EHC on the grounds of religious beliefs or personal convictions are bound by their Code of Ethics to advise the patient of alternative sources of the service.

Pharmacies

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure greater integration of pharmacy services in considering health policy and planning services.

Shona Robison: Health boards have in place, or are in the process of appointing, Directors of Pharmacy whose function is to co-ordinate the provision of pharmaceutical services within their health board and ensure integration of pharmacy services within health policy and planning of services.

Police

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to meet representatives of the police.

Kenny MacAskill: I intend to meet every chief constable, the leadership of the Scottish Police Services Authority, and representatives of staff associations over the coming weeks and months.

Public Procurement

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce locally grown produce into schools, hospitals and other institutions.

Richard Lochhead: We will be working with those responsible for public procurement to ensure factors such as freshness, seasonality and methods of production are included in tender specifications.

Rail Network

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will move from assessing proposals for Aberdeen Crossrail to construction of the project and what timescale it anticipates for construction.

Stewart Stevenson: We will carefully consider the STAG 2 appraisal currently being finalised by the North East of Scotland Transport Partnership. I understand the report should be with Transport Scotland by the end of the summer. It is at that point that we can make the appropriate decision.

Rural Development

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what budget it has calculated for the Scottish Rural Development Programme period for the following Axis 2 elements: (a) on-going commitments to honour existing agreements in respect of environmentally sensitive areas, the Countryside Premium Scheme, the Rural Stewardship Scheme, the Organic Aid Scheme, forestry schemes and the Land Management Contract (LMC) Menu Scheme, (b) maintaining existing levels of new entry to Axis 2 elements of Tier 2 of LMCs (previously the LMC Menu Scheme), (c) maintaining existing levels of new entry to LMC Tier 3 measures (previously contained in the Rural Stewardship Scheme and Organic Aid Scheme), (d) maintaining existing levels of new entry to LMC forestry schemes, (e) ensuring levels of Natura management delivered through LMCs meet Scottish Natural Heritage targets for Scotland’s Natura obligations and (f) maintaining existing levels of Less Favoured Areas support.

Richard Lochhead: As I announced during the Debate on the Scotland Rural Development Programme 2007-13 on 31 May 2007, the new programme will cost approximately £1.6 billion.

  On the specific points raised in this question and taking them in order, I can confirm that:

  (a) £338 million will be used to honour existing agreements in respect of these schemes;

  (b) approximately £49 million will be used to maintain existing levels of entry to the Axis 2 elements of "Land Managers Options" of Rural Development Contracts (previously the Tier 2 Menu Scheme under Land Management Contracts), although given the demand-led nature of these payments it is not possible to be precise about the final level;

  (c) £233m has been earmarked for agri-environment payments;

  (d) £148 million will be available for new forestry expenditure under Axis 2 of Rural Development Contracts;

  (e) £15 million will be available for new Natura applications and in addition there will be significant on-going spend by SNH on existing management agreements over the SRDP period, and

  (f) £427 million is available to fund the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS).

Rural Development

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to publish the report on the evaluation of the Rural Voices programme which funded action research projects in rural communities and whether it will consider reviving Rural Voices as part of the new Scottish Rural Development Programme.

Richard Lochhead: The Scotland Rural Development Programme will open up new opportunities for rural communities. We are looking for ways to encourage capacity building within those communities to ensure they can take full advantage of these opportunities.

  Ministers have not yet been able to consider the evaluation of the Rural Voices pilot programme. The evaluation report will be published as soon as they have done so.

Rural Development

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many new entrants to farming it estimates it will attract by establishing its £10 million new entrants scheme.

Richard Lochhead: The main factor in attracting new entrants to farming will be the development of a vibrant and profitable industry and this is a key aim of our rural policy. It is also important, however, that new entrants are supported in the critical early stages and the New Entrants measure could potentially provide this support to up to around 500 new entrants over the life of the Scotland Rural Development Programme.

Rural Development

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the £10 million allocated for new entrants to farming will be provided to support such entrants in Ayrshire.

Richard Lochhead: Funding under the New Entrants measure will be allocated through Rural Development Contracts. It will be available throughout Scotland and the amount committed in any particular region or area will be a matter for the Regional Project Assessment Committees and dependent on the number and quality of proposals.

Sport

Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to have a national strategy for the provision of sports facilities.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government’s sport strategy, Reaching Higher identifies quality facilities as one of the four national priorities to achieve increased participation and improved performance. The strategy calls on local authorities to develop a strategic approach to the provision and management of sports facilities.

Student Finance

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the funds raised by graduate endowment has been allocated to funding the Young Students’ Bursary since the establishment of graduate endowment.

Fiona Hyslop: Funds raised by the graduate endowment are not specifically allocated to the Young Students’ bursary but are allocated generally in line with Section 2 of The Education (Graduate Endowment and Student Support) (Scotland) Act 2001.

Student Finance

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the funds raised by graduate endowment has been allocated to university tuition costs since the establishment of graduate endowment.

Fiona Hyslop: Funds raised by the graduate endowment are not specifically allocated to university tuition costs but are allocated generally in line with Section 2 of The Education (Graduate Endowment and Student Support) (Scotland) Act 2001.

Student Finance

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students are currently in receipt of the Young Students’ Bursary.

Fiona Hyslop: The number of students currently in receipt of the Young Student’ Bursary is 35,104. The latest figure is based on the 2005-2006 academic year. The number of students in receipt for the year 2006-2007 is currently unconfirmed.

Student Finance

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total pay-out was to students domiciled in Scotland from the Student Loans Company Ltd in 2005-06 and how many students received these payments.

Fiona Hyslop: Total pay-out to Scottish domiciled students in academic year 2005-06.

  

Academic Year
Number of Students Receiving Loans
Value of Loans


2005-06
82,656 
£187,102,013



  Notes:

  1. Provisional figures as at 31 August 2006.

  2. Final figures are due after 31 August 2007.

  3. Includes all full-time loans paid by SLC (mortgage style and ICR).

  4. Excludes part-time loans paid by SLC.

Student Finance

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students domiciled in Scotland are currently in receipt of a student loan.

Ms Fiona Hyslop: Scottish domiciled students currently in receipt of a student loan.

  

Academic Year
Number of Students Receiving Loans


2006-07
77,841 



  Notes: 1. Pre-Provisional figures as at 31-03-2007. 2. Provisional figures are due after 31-08-2007. 3. Final figures are due after 31-08-2008. 4. Includes all full time loans paid by SLC (Mortgage Style and ICR). 5. Excludes Part Time Loans paid by SLC. 6. Excludes Tuition Fee Loans paid by SAAS from 2006-07 onwards

Student Finance

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many customer accounts the Student Loans Company Ltd maintains for borrowers domiciled in Scotland.

Fiona Hyslop: Customer Accounts maintained by SLC for borrowers domiciled in Scotland

  

Effective date
Number of Customers


31 March 2007
352,387 



  Notes:

  1. Provisional figures as at 31 March 2007.

  2. Final figures are due after 31 March 2008.

  3. The customers are those domiciled in Scotland when they received their loans but some of them now reside outwith Scotland.

  4. Includes all types of loans (mortgage style, ICR, part-time loans, Graduate Endowment, Tuition Fee Loans).

  5. A customer is only counted once. This single "customer account" may comprise loans of different types for different years of study.

  6. Excludes former customers i.e. those who no longer have loans due to full repayment or write off/cancellation.

  7. Excludes customers who only have accounts that were sold to the private sector in 1998 and 1999.

Student Finance

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-28472 by Nicol Stephen on 6 October 2006, what the total current outstanding student loan debt is from Scottish borrowers.

Fiona Hyslop: Effective date
Outstanding Student Loan Debt


31 March 2007
£1,845,726,000



  Notes:

  1. Provisional figures as at 31 March 2007.

  2. Final figures are due after 31 March 2008.

  3. The customers are those domiciled in Scotland when they received their loans but some of them now reside outwith Scotland.

  4. Includes all types of loans (mortgage style, ICR, part-time loans, Graduate Endowment, Tuition Fee Loans).

  5. Excludes debt for administration charges and litigation charges owed directly to SLC rather than to the Scottish Executive.

  6. Excludes debt for accounts that were sold to the private sector in 1998 and 1999.

Student Finance

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total current outstanding student loan debt is from Scotland-domiciled and resident graduates.

Fiona Hyslop: The total current outstanding student loan debt from Scottish borrowers and resident borrowers

  

Domicile
Current Country of Residence
Outstanding Student Loan Debt


Scotland
Scotland
£1,729,820,000


Scotland
Outwith Scotland
£115,906,000


Outwith Scotland
Scotland
£99,141,000


 
£1,944,867,000



  Notes:

  1. Provisional figures as at 31 March 2007

  2. Includes all types of loans (mortgage style, ICR, part-time loans, Graduate Endowment, Tuition Fee Loans).

  3. Excludes debt for administration charges and litigation charges owed directly to SLC rather than to the Scottish Executive.

  4. Excludes debt for accounts that were sold to the private sector in 1998 and 1999.

Traffic

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to ease traffic congestion in the Edinburgh city region.

Stewart Stevenson: Tackling traffic congestion in the Edinburgh city region is the responsibility for SESTRAN and the relevant local authorities. The Scottish Executive will continue to work closely with those bodies in meeting the transport needs of Edinburgh and its surrounding area.

Voluntary Sector

Ms Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to meet representatives of the voluntary sector.

Jim Mather: I met with many representatives of the voluntary sector yesterday, at a reception here in Parliament. I discussed with them the important contribution they make to our strategic purpose of focusing government and all public services on creating a more successful country. I also took the opportunity to signal our intention to renew our engagement with the sector.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Scottish Commission for Human Rights

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether the process of setting up the Scottish Commission for Human Rights will commence before the summer recess.

Mike Pringle: The nomination to the Parliament of a chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission will be made by a selection panel of members of the Parliament in line with Rule 3.11 of Standing Orders. Whilst the panel is not a matter for the SPCB, I do understand that the process for appointing a chair of the commission will commence before the summer recess.